13 best gifts for cat lovers (and their furry friend) that are purr-fect for Christmas
Picking out the perfect gift for a friend or family member can be hard, that is unless there’s something they’re super fanatical about, be it tech, gaming or all things coffee-related.
If someone on your Christmas shopping list swears by the philosophy that cats rule and dogs drool (sorry pooch partisans), then you’ve come to the right place because we’ve tracked down some seriously paw-some gifting ideas.
There are few things that inspire more joy in a cat parent than a feline-themed gift, meaning there are plenty of options to choose from, whether you want to give them something to wear, decorate their home with or even eat.
It goes without saying that most cat owners will also be overjoyed by any gift that delights their furry friend, so treats for all kinds of kitties are sure to go down well too, from more practical presents like cosy beds to fun toys and accessories.
How we tested
As proud cat parents ourselves, we made sure to include a range of gifts that appeal to every kind of purr-sonality and budget, assessing each item on its quality and fun factor, with extra points given for practicality and personalisation.
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We also tasked our very own feline tester, Babushka, with testing gifts designed specifically for cats and, as a kitty that’s notoriously difficult to please, you can rest assured any items featured were given two paws up before making this list.
The best gifts for cat lovers for 2021 are:
Best overall – Gus & Bella cat box: £29.90, Gusandbella.com
Best personalised gift – Prezzybox personalised pet stocking: £24.99, Prezzybox.com
Best pet bed – Made x Poodle & Blonde Trudy bellisima pet sofa: £159, Made.com
Best for adventure-seeking indoor cats – Supakit leather cat harness: £50, Supakit.co
Best for tea and coffee drinkers – Emma Bridgewater personalised cats ½ pint mug: £20.95, Emmabridgewater.co.uk
Best for those with a sweet tooth – Candy Kittens fans favourite gift box: £12.50, Candykittens.co.uk
Best for family fun – Exploding Kittens a game of cat and mouth: £18.74, Amazon.co.uk
Best stationery gift – Papier leopards notebook: £18.69, Papier.com
Best for arty types – King and McGaw pink Sam art print: £75, Kingandmcgaw.com
Best for fashion fans – Karen Mabon cat show organic cotton pyjama set: £160, Karenmabon.com
Best for snap-happy pet owners – Cat toy phone clip: £10, Oliverbonas.com
Best for interior lovers – Courthouse x James Daw big cats don’t cry cushion: £39.95, Courthouseinteriors.com
Best for foodies – Biscuiteers cool for cats biscuit tin: £35, Biscuiteers.com
Gus & Bella cat box
Best: Overall
Rating: 10/10
Nothing beats a package full of goodies delivered straight to your door every month, and the Gus & Bella box is a great option for anyone that’s always on the lookout for new toys and treats for their cats (and themselves). With the choice of either buying a one-off box or signing up to a monthly subscription, which can be cancelled anytime, each one has a distinct theme and is filled with items that help connect cats with their owners. Surprise, surprise, December’s box is all about the meow-st wonderful time of the year, Christmas, and it doesn’t disappoint. Inside you’ll find a host of treats designed to get your feline in the festive spirit, including a cat nip Christmas tree toy – which our tester promptly sniffed out – fluffy blanket, premium cat food and dental treats. There are plenty of goodies for humans too, such as cat-shaped felt tree decoration, cat-themed Christmas card and cookies and cream flavoured popcorn.
Buy now £29.90, Gusandbella.com
Prezzybox personalised pet stocking
Best: Personalised gift
Rating: 9/10
Celebrate the most important family member in your home with this personalised stocking that can be hung up ready for them to open on Christmas morning. With 15 pet illustrations to choose from, including a Russian blue and a tabby, personalisation couldn’t be easier – you simply pick the image that most resembles your feline friend and enter their name. The stocking itself is made from a sturdy canvas material with two red hanging loops that can be pulled together ready for hanging on the mantelpiece. It’s a great size too, with plenty of room for festive treats your cat will appreciate, from catnip toys to Dreamies.
Buy now £24.99, Prezzybox.com
Made x Poodle & Blonde Trudy bellisima pet sofa
Best: Stylish pet bed
Rating: 9/10
Cats love to relax and snooze and, as professional loungers, they’re known to take up residence in the most inconvenient of places in pursuit of comfort, from your laptop to a pile of freshly folded laundry. If you know a cat that’s in need of a cosy sanctuary, consider this seriously stylish pet bed, which is sure to please both felines and their design conscious owners. Created in collaboration with Insta-favourite interior brand Poodle & Blonde, this bed is designed to look like a miniature sofa (you can even buy a human-size version of it – £449, Made.com) and is covered with the brand’s “bellissima curve” print, which features two-tone terracotta-coloured squiggly lines on top of a neutral base. We also love that, just like a real sofa, it has gold brass legs and raised sides to ensure your kitty feels safe and secure. Our tester can be particularly fussy when it comes to beds but, much to our delight, she immediately took up residence on her brand new sofa and it has since become her favourite place to to take an afternoon nap. It’s more expensive than most cat beds out there, that’s for sure, but consider it a small price to pay for finally being freed from a turf war with your pet.
Buy now £159.00, Made.com
Supakit leather cat harness
Best: For adventure-seeking indoor cats
Rating: 8/10
If, like our tester, your feline friend is an indoor cat that transforms into an escape artist whenever they’re given time in the great outdoors, this could be just what you need. Whether you’re taking them for a short walk or for a roam in the garden, a harness gives your cat a safer way to explore the world and gives you a little piece of mind. We particularly like this one from Supakit because it’s made from soft leather and is designed to fit close to your cat’s body for extra comfort. The quality is amazing and we liked that there’s just one single buckle to fasten, meaning it’s easy to get on and off. The harness also comes in a range of colours and three sizes, with four fully-adjustable straps ensuring it can fit any sized kitty. Designed to be used with a leash, you can use your own, but if not, there is the option of adding a matching leather (£30, Supakit.co) or retractable (£29, Supakit.co) one to your order.
Buy now £50.00, Supakit.co
Emma Bridgewater personalised cats ½ pint mug
Best: For tea and coffee drinkers
Rating: 8/10
This mug from eponymous British ceramic designer Emma Bridgewater does not disappoint. It’s beautifully hand-illustrated with colourful cats chasing tiny green butterflies and we loved the chunky design, which makes it perfect for everything from coffee and hot chocolate to cups of soup. While we found this half-pint size just right, the good news is that it can also be snapped up in a larger, one-pint version, for those who prefer a bigger mug. It gets extra points from us for personalisation too, as you can choose to have a name or saying of up to 27 characters painted on the front.
Buy now £20.95, Emmabridgewater.co.uk
Candy Kittens fans favourite gift box
Best: For anyone with a sweet tooth
Rating: 8/10
Does your cat-obsessed recipient have a sweet tooth? Then we’ve found just the treat. Founded by Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing in 2012, Candy Kittens makes “gourmet gummy candy” in the shape of a cat’s head and it’s fair to say we’ve become totally addicted to them because, not only do they look cute, they taste delicious. While our favourite flavour is “very cherry”, we recommend gifting a selection to anyone that’s yet to give them a go – seriously, where have they been? – like this box, which includes five bags of Candy Kittens’s fan favourites – sour watermelon, wild strawberry, very cherry, tropical mango and Eton mess. The best part? All of the brand’s sweets are vegan, expect for Eton mess that is, as the recipe uses beeswax – however, they are still suitable for vegetarians.
Buy now £12.50, Candykittens.co.uk
Exploding Kittens a game of cat and mouth
Best: For family fun
Rating: 8/10
What’s better than a family game night? One where you play a cat-themed game, of course. A mash up between Hungry Hippos and pinball, the box unfolds to reveal a rainbow arena with a giant cat’s head in the centre. To play, you simply grab four balls and a magnetic cat’s paw, and frantically slingshot them through the cat’s mouth into your opponents’ side of the board. To win, you need to get all eight balls onto the other side or dislodge each of the balls that represent the cat’s nose or teeth. Highly addictive and seriously competitive, we loved that you can with as little as two players or gather in groups with the tournament mode and that it’s suitable for children as young as four, meaning the whole family can get involved.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon.co.uk
Papier leopards notebook
Best: Stationery gift
Rating: 8/10
Whether they’re in school, in need of a fresh place to journal or love to jot down to do lists, a good notebook is a daily necessity, but that doesn’t mean they have to be boring. We love the quirky leopard design of this one, which has been created by Dutch illustrator Bodil Jane and is filled with 96 pages, meaning there’s plenty of room for notes or drawings. There are plenty of ways to make it more personal too – you can choose between softback or hardback, lined, plain or dotted paper, and you can even customise the writing on the front to add your recipient’s name or a special quote.
Buy now £17.59, Papier.com
King and McGaw pink Sam art print
Best: For arty types
Rating: 8/10
Famous artist Andy Warhol couldn’t get enough of the feline species – in fact, he had 25 of them in the 50s and 60s, all of which were named Sam with the exception of a single Hester. It was during this period that Warhol created a series of ink wash cat portraits, including this one titled “pink Sam”, which we think makes a worthy gift for any art lover. Great for adding a pop of colour to your décor, it’s printed on high-quality graphic paper and comes with a thick window mount and your choice of frame, including black stained ash, natural oak, grey ash, black and white satin – all of which are made from responsibly sourced wood. What’s not to love?
Buy now £75.00, Kingandmcgaw.com
Karen Mabon cat show organic cotton pyjama set
Best: For fashion fans
Rating: 9/10
Get ready to win “best in show” for gift giving with this set of luxurious pyjamas. Courtesy of British designer and illustrator Karen Mabon, this set are cut from organic cotton in a soft shade of lilac and feature an all over extravagant print showing a variety of cats all competing among a collection of colourful rosettes. The button-down top has long sleeves, a white piping trim and a peter pan collar, while the straight leg trousers have handy pockets and a drawstring waist for extra comfort. We also loved that the pyjamas come in a range of sizes, from XS (UK6-8) to 5XL (UK24-26). While they’re almost too stylish to wear to bed, they’ve become our favourite pair of jammies.
Buy now £160.00, Karenmabon.com
Courthouse x James Daw big cats don’t cry cushion
Best: For interior lovers
Rating: 8/10
If the person you’re buying for owns a cat that’s averse to cuddles, this cosy cushion will make a great substitute sofa buddy. Designed in collaboration with London-based artist illustrator James Daw, it features his “big cats don’t cry” pattern that includes two wild cats set against a front panel of dusty pinks, deep reds and bright green, while the back is covered in a rich deep green velvet with matching fringing. Measuring 45cm, it’s ideal for adding texture to any room and can be kept on their couch, bed or armchair for years to come.
Buy now £39.95, Courthouseinteriors.com
Kikkerland cat toy phone clip
Best: For snap-happy pet owners
Rating: 8/10
There’s nothing that pet parents love more than taking photos of their cat but managing to snap one that isn’t blurry or captures just the tip of their tail because they’ve darted off can be a challenge. Luckily, we’ve found just the thing that helps you get the pictures you want. Ideal for grabbing your cat’s attention, this accessory clips easily onto your phone and features a fluffy, colourful pom pom (choose from pink, white or purple) that bounces temptingly from a springy wire. And, it really does work. Our tester cat was intrigued by the phone clip as soon as we unboxed it and encouraged her to look directly at the camera, guaranteeing Insta-worthy pics every time.
Buy now £10.00, Oliverbonas.com
Biscuiteers cool for cats biscuit tin
Best: For foodies
Rating: 7/10
Biscuiteers is famed for its hand-iced biscuits that come in a range of shapes and sizes to suit any occasion and this “cool for cats” selection is a great gift for foodies and feline fans alike. Housed in a keepsake metal tin that features a cute illustration of kittens playing with balls of yarn, inside you’ll find 11 lemon biscuits, including five cats, a bottle of milk and a pet bowl. Aside from being a seriously tasty snack, we loved that the tin could be reused to store everything from baking bits and bobs to cat treats. While they’re currently out of stock, we’d recommend signing up to receive an email for when they’re back.
Buy now £35.00, Biscuiteers.com
The verdict: Gifts for cat lovers
For a gift that will bring joy to cats and their humans, you can’t go wrong with Gus & Bella’s subscription box that’s packed full of fun treats. Not only is every item inside fantastic quality but they encourage you to devote some time to your feline friend, whether that’s through play, cosying up on the sofa or eating tasty treats together.
Alternatively, Prezzybox’s personalised stocking is guaranteed to put a smile on your recipient’s face, while Made’s fancy pet bed is a great choice for those with a little extra cash to splash.
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